Digital Opportunities For All
An ambitious project is in place to help enable everyone throughout Gwynedd to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by digital technology and the Internet.
Digital Resilience, led by Gwynedd Council with the support of the charity Citizens Online, is a partnership aimed at ensuring that improvements in broadband connectivity will encourage better computer skills among all sections of society.
The partnership has agreed on a work programme that focuses on two key priorities:
- using digital opportunities to reduce poverty in the county,
- improving digital skills in rural communities.
Councillor Mandy Williams-Davies, Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy said: “There is a clear correlation between poverty and poor digital skills and improving those skills is an integral part of our strategy to tackle poverty.
“This is where Digital Resilience has a crucial role to play. We are determined to equip all our people to take full advantage of opportunities offered by the latest digital developments.
“For those who are out of work, the internet is an invaluable tool for job hunting, and computer literacy becoming more important by the day as a key skill.
“It is anticipated that there will be changes to benefits by introducing universal credit that affects a number of people in Gwynedd, access to a computer or tablet device as well as having digital skills are essential in order to make claims for universal credit.
“The project is also about improving digital skills in rural communities in particular. As well as the need for getting high speed broadband in all parts of the county, it is also important that local communities learn how to make full use of the new technology.
“One of our key aims, for example, is to help older members of rural communities to get online. We need to encourage them to see how simple it is to use things like e-mail and how easy it is to keep in touch with friends and relatives be they a couple of miles down the road or on the other side of the world.”
There is a significant challenge ahead, according to the Digital Resilience partnership’s initial report outlining the present situation.
Whilst the most recent data from Ofcom shows clear improvements in the availability of superfast broadband in the county, it is still low in comparison with other areas.
The partnership’s analysis of the Gwynedd population suggests that one in three households are at risk of digital exclusion, with the majority of these classified either as older people or those living in remote rural areas.
It shows that the number of public access computers available is low, with an estimate of only one PC or laptop being available for every 200 of the households at risk of digital exclusion. This means that computers may only be available for a few hours a week, and they also tend to be situated in towns and larger villages.
The report stresses the need for an increased provision of coaching in libraries and Job Centre Plus offices, as well as training for frontline staff in key organisations who lack basic digital skills.
“It is clear that more needs to be done in terms of training and access provision,” added Councillor Williams-Davies.
“We are committed to building on the excellent work of our pioneering project Digital Gwynedd, and full details on what is available can be seen on the website www.digitalgwynedd.cymru. It lists the courses and sessions held throughout Gwynedd, as well as all the public buildings where there is access to the Internet.
“I am pleased that there have been improvements in the availability of superfast broadband in Gwynedd, and whilst we are committed to continuing to lobby for further improvements, it is equally important that all sections of society are able to benefit from the opportunities offered by these latest developments.”
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